Thursday, October 3, 2013

The Black Dot: How to Shift Your Negative Thought

The Black Dot
By Jamie Perillo, LPC

When I was twelve I attended a holiday service with my mother. We were shown a large white poster board with
a black dot in the center and were asked, “What do you see?” At twelve, not too
happy to be there on a Saturday afternoon, I remember thinking this was a silly
question. ” I see a black dot. There’s nothing else to see."

I was gratefully proven wrong.The speaker explained, “You have two
choices.You can see the black dot or
you can see a large piece of beautiful white paper with lots of room to write
on.” In life, we have a choice – we can focus on the negative or we can try to
see the positive. We have the choice to fixate on the black dot or see
beyond the dot and open our mind to all of the possibilities the situation
might bring.

When children come in anxious or stuck in negative thinking
patterns I show them the paper with the black dot. Initially I am met with the
same, “Are you kidding me?” look I gave many years ago. But as I explain the
purpose in the exercise their eyes brighten and the lesson is understood.

If your child is having difficulty stuck in negative thought
patterns or anxious, try showing them the paper with the black dot.It will be a lesson that sticks with them
years later.

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About

Jamie Perillo is a licensed child and family therapist, speaker, parent educator,and founder of Inspired Families. She serves on the board of FAEN and as the Behavioral Specialist for Little Ivy Nursery School.
Jamie works with families in her private practice in Connecticut. She is dedicated to supporting and empowering families through her practice, Inspired Families, and workshops. She founded Inspired Families in order to inspire healthy, positive lifestyles and provide behavioral strategies, parenting techniques, and creative, fun engaging family activities.
As a Certified Yoga Instructor specializing in holistic yoga therapy Jamie uses her training to compliment traditional treatment modalities, provide stress management and overall empowerment. She has taught yoga workshops to pre-teens and teens for the YMCA’s Upward Bound Program, Strong Kids Campaign, and co-facilitated Sierra Bender's Boot Camp for Goddesses Teens at Omega Institute. Jamie has also taught college graduate students techniques on how to utilize yoga in schools.
Prior to her private practice Jamie served as an Intensive In-Home Therapist Village and supervised teams of Clinicians and Counselors.